Renewal element for semi-dry-cell batteries.



W. BROAD. RENEWAL ELEMENT FUR SEMI-DRY CELL BATTERIES. APPLICATION FILED APRJH, 1913.

. Llfififi. Patented Aug.11,19M.

WE Wren WlTNESSES 7 WWW tel-y element composed of two units instead ioasao.

llhllilfil) gTATES PATENT @FFTQE,

'WILLIAM BRQAD, 0F BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

To all 107mm 1' 6 may concern: Be it known that I, W'iLLIAar BROAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver Falls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Renewal Elements for, Se1niDry-Cell Batteries, of which the following is a specification. This invention pertains to certain new and useful articles or elements applicable to semidry cell batteries of the reiillableor renewable type, my aim being to provide cheap and convenient forms of renewal materials that will be safely portable, and easily applied to the battery when the same becomes exhausted of. its' chemically generated electricity. i

Reference is herewith made to my pending applications for patents on renewable dry cell batteries, Serial No. 720,824, dated September 17, 1912, and Serial No. 756,522, dated March 24:, 1913, to which construction, thereindescribed and shown, the invention herein sought to be protected is applicable. In said now pending applications I disclose a structure or fornr of so called dry cell battery in which the necessary elements required to set up chemically generated electricity 'within the cell, are made renewable and" removably housed therein. The necessary renewal elements will consist of the zinc anode, depolarizing mass, and absorbent material for retaining or carrying the excitant' electrolyte; the balance of the cell, including the cathode member, being preferably permanent and non-renewable. A further advantage in connection with said' renewal elements consists in the new and novel means I employ in conjunction with the depolarizing member for preventing a union between said depolarizer and zinc anode, thereby overcoming or greatly minimizing local action within the cell.

The accomp:'u1ying drawing discloses one embodiment of my invention, whcrein-- Figure l shows a sectional view of three members constituting the renewal battery element in their relative positions when a plied to the cell orrece )tacle for housin same. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the depolar izing member with its unprotected face uppermost, and Fig. 3 shows the renewal batof threeyas disclosed in Fig. l, the same be- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 17, 1913.

Y may then be RENEWAL ELEMENT FOR SEMI-DRY-CELL BATTERIES.

Patented fang, ill, ihad,

Serial No. 761,671.

ing seated in a cell and held. under adjustable compression.

The depolarizing mass, designated by the numeral 1, which can be made up of any suitable combination Widely known and common ones being manganese dioxid and carbon, or graphite, in desired proportions, is thoroughly. saturated and combined with suitablechemicals, such as sal ammoniac and chlorid of zinc, or any other substitute elements of a nature to serve as an excitant part of the A certain pre-determined amount of'moisture may be added if necessary in order to reduce the said combined elements to a more or less plastic state, or they may all be united while dry, after which the entire mass is thoroughly stirred or mixed, when it is molded into the proper shape, and put under suflicient pressure to form a cake or block having a solid consistency, and of a predetermined uniform thickness throughout. This formed cake, if found put through a drying process, either by artificial heat or a natural dryingout means, when it becomes sufficiently hardened to be easily portable and will withstand ordinary handling without crumbling or disintegration. Vhile the said depolarizing cake is being pressed into its required form, or subsequently thereto, one side and the edge has enibedded therein by pressure means a suitable absorbent material 2, usually blotting paper of the required thicl1- ness, thus providing said formed cake with a closely adhering and supporting envelop or cover which, in addition to its function as a protecting medium for said pressed cake, acts as an adequate barrier or separating means to prevent any of the depolarizing elementfrom reaching and coacting with the zinc anode to set up local action within the cell. The said absorbent material 2 Will naturally expand when moisture isvadded to the previously dried cake 1, and as pressure is applied. to the battery element through the medium of the adjustable lid or cover 9, as fully described in the former applications referred to in thepreamble to this specification, said absorbent materiah'by reason of the expansion of said cake,"will be forced to the wall of the cell 7, closely engaging the same, with the desired depolarizing mass will be entirely separated of elements, the most depolarizing mass.

result that said moon bent separating materiel embedded in and.

prgtectmg one face and the rim of said ca e.

3. In renewable elements for semhdr cell batteries of the refillable type, o depo urizing member comprising a dry portable com pact cake havin n substantially uniform thickness throng out, one side and the rim thereof being subtinliy protected by e.

snituhle obwrbent uepuroting materiel satu rated Withon excitanl; electrolyte normally held in a. dry state, the entire member being inactive untilv assembled with suitable electrodes end moned.

4. In renewal elements for semidry cell batteries of the refillable type a dry integrail coke comprising a depolnrizing mass of or ntiolly uniform thickness throu .houi: and an absorbent separating material substantiolly protecting and closely adhering to one side and the rim of the depolarizing mass, the absorbent material carrying an electrolyte in a dry state, the entire member being inactive until assembled with suitable electrodes and moisture added.

In testimony whereof, I afiin my signature in tho presnce of two Witnesses.

W ILLI BROAD. 

